Rolling car kills 3-year-old boy in Oxon Hill

OXON HILL, Md. – Prince George’s County police say a 3-year-old boy was run over and killed by his father’s car in what looks like an accident.

Police say the father parked his car in front of an apartment complex in Oxon Hill at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. He reportedly left the vehicle’s engine running with another adult family member inside while he got out to pick up his children.

Police say as the father held his 2-year-old daughter, the 3-year-old boy ran to the car to greet the other family member and the father noticed the vehicle had started to roll. Police say he dropped his daughter and jumped into the car to try to stop it, but at some point the boy fell out and was run over.

The boy was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The man’s daughter was hurt from the fall but suffered injuries that weren’t life-threatening. The father was not hurt.

Police say the accident is under investigation, although they do not suspect foul play or alcohol were involved.

This story has been corrected to note the child that died was a boy, while the child injured was a girl.